The invention relates to a method for controlling a vehicle system configured for the autonomous operation of a motor vehicle, and to a motor vehicle.
Motor vehicle systems configured for autonomously operating a motor vehicle, often also referred to as autonomous driver assistance systems, where already proposed in the state-of-the-art for a broad range of purposes. A known group of systems for example involves automatic parking processes, in particular also an automatic search for a parking space. But also systems with an extended range of application have been proposed, however various approval processes have yet to be completed. Known and conventional are also semi-autonomous driver assist systems, for example those that perform steering interventions for staying within a lane or those that enable a longitudinal control, for example relative to a vehicle driving ahead (ACC-system). Finally so-called traffic jam assistants have been proposed, which are intended to partially or completely take over the control of the motor vehicle in a traffic jam, in particular also at low speeds.
As far as safety is concerned, autonomous vehicle systems are perceived rather critical. Therefore, at least for the time being, their use is limited to certain regions or traffic areas for example private properties. In order to at least partially use an autonomous vehicle system the actually driven on region (traffic area) has to be “dedicated” for the particular type of the piloted (autonomous) driving. Dedication means an act of public authority by virtue of which an object obtains a special status under public law. This dedication determines the public purpose (for example public use, here the use for autonomous driving) that the object has to serve. Different concepts for dedicating different regions of the agricultural traffic area (the total number of traffic routes usable for agricultural vehicles) have already been discussed. Conceivable are thus regions with special use rights, private property without dedication, private property with a dedication that determines the degree to which an existing law applies to the private property, public land and the like. Correspondingly it is also conceivable to authorize certain areas of the agricultural traffic area for certain types of autonomous driving.
Autonomous driver assist systems, i.e., vehicle systems of the aforementioned type that are configured for autonomous operation of the motor vehicle, are presently designed to possess certain basic parameters which are for example adjusted to left-hand traffic or right-hand traffic and to general functions and system limits, and which—like the operation of the vehicle system—can be adjusted by the user, in particular the driver of the motor vehicle. This means that within predetermined limits, it is presently the user himself who makes decisions regarding the operation of a vehicle system that enables autonomous driving, which thus may potentially lead to problems.
However, functions of autonomous driver assist systems are not only coupled to the dedication of areas but may also be coupled to other circumstances. Thus the use of functions may also depend on an infrastructure surrounding the motor vehicle, such as parking systems, or other, in particular neighboring, motor vehicles have to have a certain degree of automation themselves. The latter is for example required when a kind of “electronic drawbar” is to be realized while driving in a convoy and the like.
Thus user related or manufacture related misconfigurations may easily occur in vehicle systems that are configured for the autonomous operation of motor vehicles.